Shifting carriage-top



(No Model.)

I. J. BRAND.

SHIFTING CARRIAGE TOP.

No. 353,730. Patented Dec. 7, 1886'.

WITNESSES ATTORNEY K PETERS. Phukn-Lnhognphcr, Washinglnn, u. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK J. BRAND, OF NEW BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT.

SHIFTING CARRIAGE-TOP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 353,730,' dated December 7, 1886.

Application filed September 10, 1886. Serial No.913,260. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, FREDERICK J. BRAND, a citizen of the United States, residing at New Britain, in the county of Hartford, State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Carriage -Tops, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a view of one end of a seat and of portions of the top-frame. Fig. 2 is a plan View of the seat and toprail, the broken lines showing the position to which the rail may be turned. Fig. 3 is a section of a part of the rail and plate attached to the seat, and shows the bolt, eccentric, and handle for holding the rail to the seat. Fig. 4 is a front view of one end of the seat. Fig. 5 shows one of the curved slots in the plates on the ends of the seats.

Myinvention relates to that class of carriagetops which are attached to the seats, the object being to facilitate getting into the carriage. To this end the invention consists in attaching the top to the rail of the seat and connecting the rails to the ends of the seat by means of studs or bolts passing through curved slots or equivalent guides, in order that either side of the top may be conveniently turned around to facilitate getting into or out of the vehicle.

The carriage-top differs in no particular from ordinary folding tops which are attached to carriage-seats except that it is attached to the top-rail, and needs no description to be under stood.

The seat A has the flat plates B attached to it by means of the bent straps a, which are bolted to the bottom of the seat, and riveted t0 the plates. If preferred, the plates and straps may be cut from rolled metal of the proper thickness. These plates have the curved slots 1), in which the bolts D pass, for clamping the top rail to the plates. respects the seat is in the usual form.

The top-rail E is made in the form shown in Fig. 2, and is constructed to allow the top to be attached to it in the usual manner, as Those parts of the rail In other shown in the figure.

through which the bolts D pass may be flattened, as at e, if the rail is made of round iron, and such flattening is required to make room for the bolts.

The shanks of the bolts D are of such size as to pass freely through the curved slots 1) and the flattened parts 6 of the top-rail. Into the upper ends of these shanks the pivots or studs 0, having heads on their outer ends, are inserted, on which the levers or handles F turn and are held by the heads of the pivots. The handles have two parts-the circular parts or disks m, which have pivot-holes between their centers and circumferences, and are thus made eccentrics, and the parts it, or handles proper.

The construction of the rail, seat, and the means for holding them together may be considerably varied and yet the invention remain the same. As examples, the form of the rail may vary to suit different stylesof seats, the curved slots in the plates may be omitted, and the outer edges of the plates may be curved, and different devices may be used to clamp the rail to the seat.

Constructed as above described and shown, as one of the levers is turned to the position of the dotted lines the end or side of the top may be turned backward, so that the rail will be in the position shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 2, and the top willthen be as completely out of the way of getting into the carriage as an ordinary top is when it is let down or folded.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

A carriage-top and the side rails, E, towhi'ch it is attached, in combination with a seat which has a curved slot in each end, bolts or studs which pass from said side rails through said slots, and fastening devices, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FREDERICK J. BRAND.

Witnesses:

HENRY C. GUssMAN, IV. E. LATHAM. 

